A&A translation bit : questions

[ExarKun]

Hi,

I'm not understanding the following (see A&A p87):

[i]To translate a text from one language to another, a character has to be fluent in both languages, requiring scores of at least 5.

(...)
Once the accumulated points equal the level of the summa, the text is translated. Translated texts have their Quality reduced by 2, one for language differences and one for cultural differences. If the character only has the bare minimum qualifications for translation — Greek 5, Latin 5, Artes Liberales 2 for a Greek text — translated texts have their Quality reduced by 1. If the translator has an elegant command of both languages (Language 6), the Quality of the translated text is not reduced for language differences. If the character has not lived in the culture from which the text is translated — does not have an (Area) Lore of at least 3 — the translated copy loses 1 point of Quality. Thus, if a character has Greek 6, Latin 6, Artes Liberales 2, and Greece Lore 3, he can translate Greek texts into Latin without a reduction in the texts’ Quality scores. [/i]

What I understand is:

• translated text require 2 languages at level 5. That gives -2 (or -1 if hermetic subject) to quality.
• if you have only 5 in the languages, you have an additionnal -1 to quality. (-3)*
• If you have 6 in both language, you have no malus to quality (= -0).
• if you have Area Lore for the region of the language you are translating FROM at score 3, you lose -0 quality. Otherwise, you lose -1 quality.

With all that taken into account...

Example: I want to translate from greek to latin, the book which has a quality of value Q. Assume that character has 2 alphabets and the topic translated is not hermetic.
[tableborder][tr][th]Ability[/th][th]Casus A[/th][th]Casus B[/th][th]Casus C[/th][th]Casus D[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Area lore Greece[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Greek[/td][td]5[/td][td]5[/td][td]6[/td][td]6[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Latin[/td][td]5[/td][td]5[/td][td]6[/td][td]6[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]REsult[/td][td]Q-4 = -2 base, -1 because 5 in languages, -1 for area lore not 3[/td][td]Q-3 = -2 base, -1 because 5 in languages[/td][td]Q-1 = -1 for area lore not 3[/td][td]Q-0[/td][/tr][/tableborder]

Is that really correct?

I don't see any erratum but that seems to be exactly what is written, and yet, it feels totally wrong. Except for D which is basically the textbook example.
Notably bevcause at * place, we would expect the text to say "thus a total of -3".

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[Berengar]

@ExarKun

Hi,

I'm not understanding the following (see A&A p87):

[i]To translate a text from one language to another, a character has to be fluent in both languages, requiring scores of at least 5.

(...)
Once the accumulated points equal the level of the summa, the text is translated. Translated texts have their Quality reduced by 2, one for language differences and one for cultural differences. If the character only has the bare minimum qualifications for translation — Greek 5, Latin 5, Artes Liberales 2 for a Greek text — translated texts have their Quality reduced by 1. If the translator has an elegant command of both languages (Language 6), the Quality of the translated text is not reduced for language differences. If the character has not lived in the culture from which the text is translated — does not have an (Area) Lore of at least 3 — the translated copy loses 1 point of Quality. Thus, if a character has Greek 6, Latin 6, Artes Liberales 2, and Greece Lore 3, he can translate Greek texts into Latin without a reduction in the texts’ Quality scores. [/i]

How is the following reading'?

Translations incur two types of Quality reductions, each at -1 to Quality:
(1) the reduction for language differences,
(2) the reduction for cultural differences.

Reduction (1) is removed, if the translator "has an elegant command of both languages (Language 6)".
Reduction (2) is removed, if the translater has "an (Area) Lore of at least 3" in the culture of the text to be translated.

This requires an itsy-bitsy new erratum: "If the character only has the bare minimum qualifications for translation — Greek 5, Latin 5, Artes Liberales 2 for a Greek text — translated texts have their Quality reduced by 1." => "If the character only has the bare minimum qualifications for translation — Greek 5, Latin 5, Artes Liberales 2 for a Greek text — translated texts have their Quality reduced by 2."
This erratum makes sense to me, because the error to be emended would be just an anticipation of

@A&A p.87

Texts on Hermetic Arts translated by magi are easier, since many of the concepts and theories are already familiar to the translator. Latin is the original language of the Order of Hermes, but Greek translations exist in eastern Mythic Europe and Arabic copies are in the Levant and sections of lower Italy and Spain. The above rules apply, but the quality is only reduced by 1 if the translator has the minimum language scores, and living in the culture of the original author’s language is not necessary.

Cheers